Culture of debate
The term culture of dispute can be defined under many aspects (psychological, legal, literary, sociological, philosophical, theological, historical, etc.).
Similar to the term political culture, it is not only used as a sociological term, but is now also used in everyday language and politically. Having a culture of controversy means: being able to represent your own point of view with words and media without denying the other person that he too has and is allowed to have a different point of view. A culture of dispute also includes the conviction that the dispute can produce positive or significant things in principle, since it questions old norms and facts and looks for alternatives, regardless of how useful, outdated or appropriate the proven may be.
Democracy and culture of debate
In a democratic society there is a basic principle: different people have different opinions. Parliamentary democracy thrives on political debate, on conflicting interests and the search for a balance between these interests. In autocratic systems , the dispute is usually seen as a weakening of the community or as a deviation from accepted and stabilizing norms.
That is why politics is calling for a new culture of debate more and more frequently. However, in today's media society, discussion and debate are often avoided. It is often complained that explanations are only said in a formalized manner appropriate for the media. "A fair dispute over the matter and the struggle for reasonable compromises are essential in a democracy ". Democracy needs a dispute , dispute needs a culture of debate.
Constructive culture of debate
The principle of a constructive culture of debate is: Conflicts between individuals and groups are normal. They are the natural, indeed necessary, consequence of a living human coexistence. The problem is not so much whether there are conflicts, but how they are resolved, ie how the conflict partners argue with one another: prudent and cooperative or authoritarian and violent.
A constructive culture of debate means speaking openly and fairly to one another without offending. A constructive culture of argument includes the following elements (rules for fair arguments):
- Quarreling is seen as a normal everyday phenomenon.
- Quarrel is something that is generally permitted.
- Disputes below a certain escalation level are treated differently than beyond this escalation level.
- The dispute is subject to intersubjectively known fairness rules.
- All parties to the dispute have rights, e.g. B. the right to postpone the argument until later or to take time to reflect.
- Arguing is not a sporting competition.
- A good quarrel ends with an agreement, not with the victory of one party over the other.
- After the dispute has been resolved, the relationship between the conflict partners is not permanently disrupted.
Learn a culture of debate
In the methodology of "teaching arguments", the following measures, among others, have proven themselves, which of course do not have to be suitable for all situations without exception:
- Discuss the rules for fair arguing
- Educating about disruptions in the culture of debate: B. on scapegoat roles, the importance of prejudice for violence
- Practicing the change of perspective, ie learning to empathize with the feelings and fears of the party in the dispute
- Practice searching for creative solutions in disputes and finding solutions that are satisfactory for everyone involved
- Example of an acceptable culture of debate
- Consistent resistance in the event of inappropriate dispute behavior
Methods of eristics
In a culture of debate, it is crucial to know the methods of eristics . One of these methods is rabidism , that is, the (dubious) “art” of literally “being right” in a matter that is dishonest in content and cannot be defended.
By Arthur Schopenhauer of 1864 posthumously published draft of a native The Art of Being Right , an art lesson to keep in debates law. Schopenhauer's draft contains a list of 38 specific rhetorical stratagems , which he calls contrivances.
In philosophical terminology, ignorance of the refutation denotes a logical error that consists in proving a different conclusion in a line of argument than the one originally in question. This gives you valid evidence, but for an irrelevant claim.
In the Tu-quoque argument , two areas overlap; firstly the correctness of a behavior and then that of the right to reproach someone for a behavior.
literature
- Heinz Becker: culture of dispute - formation of intentions in teams and organizations , 2015, ISBN 978-1-51231-216-4
- Ulrich Sarcinelli : Democratic culture of debate. VS, 1990, ISBN 3-531-12240-1 .
- Wolfram Mauser , Günter Sasse (ed.): Culture of dispute. Strategies of convincing in Lessing's work. Niemeyer, 1993, ISBN 3-484-10695-6 .
- Bettina Gaus : The sanctimonious republic. The end of the democratic culture of debate. DVA, Stuttgart 2000.
- Peter Geißler, Klaus Rückert : Mediation , the new culture of dispute. Psychosozial-Verlag, 2000, ISBN 3-898-06009-8 .
- Gerd Denk, Ramona Föth, Lena Schaumann: Culture of dispute in primary school (practice in pedagogy). Westermann, 2004, ISBN 3-141-62061-X .
- Susanne Krahe: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Examples of biblical culture of debate. Echter-Verlag, 2005, ISBN 3-429-02669-5 .
- Association for Peace Education Tübingen: culture of dispute. Conflict escalation and conflict management. A picture box. 2nd edition, 2001, ISBN 3-932444-06-X .
- Uwe Baumann, Astrid Steiner-Weber, Arnold Becker (eds.): Culture of conflict - Occidental traditions of conflict in literature, history and art. Great alta perennis. Studies on the effects of classical antiquity 2. V&R Unipress, 2008, ISBN 3899714652 .
Web links
- Streitkultur.net
- Federal Agency for Civic Education - Culture of political debate, fact sheets in class (PDF) (773 kB)
- Michael Moore and the new culture of debate in the USA
- To tear your hair? - Arguing in the Bundestag
- Uni Bonn - Research Group on the Culture of Disputes
Individual references, sources, footnotes
- ^ Ulrich Sarcinelli: Culture of dispute in Germany. (www.bpb.de) accessed on December 14, 2011
- ↑ Learn-Line.nrw: culture of dispute accessed on March 2, 2007
- ↑ Bundestag - Arguing for the sake of the matter (in www.mitmischen.de) accessed on March 2, 2007
- ↑ Cora Stephan: Do not think about thinking instead of debate: Have the Germans forgotten how to argue? In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung from August 19, 2016
- ↑ www.bundespraesident.de: The Federal President / Speeches / Christmas address 2006 by Federal President Horst Köhler. Retrieved June 10, 2020 .
- ↑ Police crime prevention program: The Challenge of Violence , First Edition, No. (01) .45.08.02, p. 17
- ↑ Viavia.ch: Constructive culture of debate, accessed on December 14, 2011
- ^ Program for Police Crime Prevention: The Challenge of Violence , First Edition, No. (01) .45.08.02, p. 20